Merlin Was Scottish (?) (2 Viewers)

[Harrytheheid]

With us all waiting like coiled springs for the September dispatches, the following link might raise a smile. I know some of the terms used in the report might have our North American friends a little puzzled and the humour will possibly appeal more to the Brits on the forum, but stick with it because some of the posted comments are outrageously funny - especially #28, 29 and 30.

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1357632007

 

[Bob]

Loved it especially post 30
Always enjoyed Geoffrey of Monmouth
Wont be buying this book
There so many “true” stories – Arthur, Robin Hood etc
I like to read proper research however I’m sceptical of such books.

Now who can tell me if Ryngold of Samogitia was a historical man (as one book tells) or just a folklore character as the Academics say

 

[Harrytheheid]

Loved it especially post 30
Always enjoyed Geoffrey of Monmouth
Wont be buying this book
There so many “true” stories – Arthur, Robin Hood etc
I like to read proper research however I’m sceptical of such books.

Now who can tell me if Ryngold of Samogitia was a historical man (as one book tells) or just a folklore character as the Academics say

Yeah, I thought the claim that Merlin used to live in Glasgow was so funny, I just had to post that link. I won't be wasting my money on the guys book either. As for Ryngold of Samogitia - never heard of him? Character in a David Gemmel book maybe?

 

[Bob]

David Gemmel ?- know Ruth Gemmel, gorgeous actress
Ryngold was credited with the first use of artllery in western europe, killing Grand Master Schenk at Saule 1236 and most of his Order
no name dropping however one could do worse than read my book on Saule - although it doesnt credit Ryngold with the victory

 

[Harrytheheid]

David Gemmel ?- know Ruth Gemmel, gorgeous actress
Ryngold was credited with the first use of artllery in western europe, killing Grand Master Schenk at Saule 1236 and most of his Order
no name dropping however one could do worse than read my book on Saule - although it doesnt credit Ryngold with the victory

That's enlightning Bob
I haven't a clue about any of this, and I can't run out and buy the book at the corner store, so please bear with me. This sounds like some event that occured in Germany, or maybe the Low Countries, yes? Grand Master Schenk....Templar, yes?
Where did Master Ryngold obtain his reciepe for gunpowder. I'd need to check, but I think Marco Polo might have been back in Europe by 1236, so would he have been the source of Master Ryngold's noisy and no doubt smokey success?

BTW. David Gemmell was the greatest British writer of heroic fantasy of the past 20 years or so. Check out his Troy books, "Lord of the Silver Bow" and "Shield of Thunder" for a different slant on the age-old story (PS. These are not fantasy books per se). He died earlier this year, but I understand that his wife is going to finish off the Troy trilogy and the third and final book is to be released early next year.

 

[Bob]

Volquin Schenk was Grand Master of the Knights of Christ in Livonia. To cut a long story short they were ambushed by Lithuanians/Samogitians, near Saule in 1236. Stories say that they were cut down by what we know to be a cannon – a bound tube buried in the ground with only the muzzle showing. No gunpowder but ground peat moss – highly combustible. Cannon filled with primitive grapeshot – stones, bits of metal etc. The Crusaders and the knights of the Order were led into a trap and they formed up on an “island” of dry land and then the cannons opened fire.
Chroniclers of the time say that the thunder God spoke – which we take to be the sound of the cannon firing.

Legends say that Ryngold brought back the cannon from his travels. Samogitian ballads talk of Ryngold however when I spoke to academics in Lithuania they discount Ryngold as a fictional character. I mentioned Ryngold however I didn’t give him credit for anything.

The Knights were virtually wiped out and although they reformed they were essentially part of the Teutonic Knights.

I’ve written previously about the medieval period – the Warhammer book on Vlad the Impaler gives me credit as a source for their book.

I’m doing some more research on Lithuania in the 13th century and Ryngold has appeared again.

I’m always sceptical about books that threaten to tell the “truth” about mythological people – I have several on Robin Hood and have yet to find one that actually “tells” the truth.

I genuinely don’t know David Gemmel – love Robert Howard, especially Solomon Kane the Puritan.